'7 years of regret': Raunchy leg piece wins bad tattoo competition at Edmonton Expo Centre
Friday night was a celebration of mistakes for a small group of body art enthusiasts.
The Ben Alway Memorial Bad Tattoo Contest was held at the Edmonton Expo Centre as part of the Edmonton Tattoo and Arts Festival.
Legacy Tattoo Removal organized the competition in honour of former tattoo removal expert Ben Alway who died in 2023.
"People submit some of their mistakes or some of the tattoos that didn't turn out to their expectations, and we judge them and we laugh," said Legacy Tattoo Removal co-owner Madi Rawson.
The contest was free for festival attendees, with prizes awarded to the three worst tattoo owners.
The winner was an X-rated Dungeons and Dragons leg tattoo, which owner Blaine had done eight years ago.
Blaine said he came up with the concept while "three sheets to the wind."
When he finally followed through with it, the execution was below expectations.
"It was seven years of regret," Blaine said. "The first year I was like, 'Yeah, this is alright. It's not terrible, right? Right?'
"And then I talked to enough people and, oh yeah, it's terrible."A raunchy Dungeons and Dragons tattoo took top prize at the Ben Alway Memorial Bad Tattoo Contest at the Edmonton Expo Centre on April 20, 2024. (Sean McClune/CTV News Edmonton)
Blaine's adult-themed artwork won Legacy's top prize of a $500 gift certificate to go toward erasing the inky mistake.
"Our mentor Ben would have really loved that that tattoo won the contest," Rawson said.
Blaine's happy to have a head start on removing his raunchy tribute, but it's not the design or subject matter he regrets.
"I want it to look like it should have looked in the beginning. So I'm just getting it removed to put it back on again, but not terrible," he added.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Sean McClune
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7029443.1725744633!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Police release video of Toronto plaza shooting that killed university student
A university student from Brampton was killed when two shooters fired indiscriminately into a crowded plaza in Toronto last month in what police say was a 'cowardly act.'
'Hopeless and helpless': Regina mother seeks help to treat rare spinal disease
Mary Grace Rico is seeking help in getting treatment for a rare spinal condition.
The iPhone is getting a 'glow' up. What to expect from Apple's Monday event
Apple excited fans with its vision for its 'Apple Intelligence' artificial intelligence system earlier this year. Now, it's time for the company to prove it really works.
No more porta-potties at B.C. construction sites starting Oct. 1
What some B.C. construction workers describe as the worst aspect of their jobs will be coming to an end next month, the province announced.
Trump campaigns in Wisconsin just days ahead of debate with Harris
With just days to go before his first — and likely only — debate against U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, former U.S. president Donald Trump leaned into his familiar grievances about everything from his indictments to the border as he campaigned in one of the most deeply Republican swaths of battleground Wisconsin.
'Extremely vigorous' wildfire activity in central B.C. prompts crews to back off for safety
The wildfire fight in central B.C. intensified Friday, according to officials.
They were due to leave for their dream cruise in May. Three months on they’re still stuck at the departure port
It was the years-long cruise that was supposed to set sail, but saw its departure postponed… postponed… and postponed again.
Aryna Sabalenka beats Jessica Pegula to win the U.S. Open for her third Grand Slam title
Aryna Sabalenka got past Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 in a rollicking U.S. Open women’s final Saturday to win her first championship at Flushing Meadows and third Grand Slam title of her career.